Academic Literacy Argumentative Essay: Mental Health in South Africa

This argumentative essay delves into the critical importance of mental health within the context of South Africa, emphasizing the need for parity between mental and physical health care. The essay highlights the alarming statistics of mental health issues in South Africa, including high rates of anxiety disorders and suicide, and examines the historical neglect of mental health in policy and practice. It argues that cultural emphasis on physical strength often overshadows the significance of mental well-being, leading to discrimination and inadequate treatment. The essay explores the interconnectedness of mental and physical health, presenting arguments that mental health is as important as physical health, and advocating for government intervention to promote awareness, provide accessible care, and dismantle the stigma surrounding mental illness. It cites various research and studies to support the arguments and concludes that a comprehensive approach is needed to address the mental health crisis in South Africa, ensuring that both mental and physical well-being are prioritized for a healthier society.

Running Head: ACADEMIC LITERACY ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
Academic Literacy Argumentative Essay
Essay
Student name
3/19/2020

ACADEMIC LITERACY ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY 1
Mental Health Care is as important as Physical Health Care in South
Africa
Health is considered combination of physical and mental well-being and therefore we
should not prioritize physical health over mental health. In fact, mental health should be given
same importance as physical health. Both mental and physical health is equally important in
South Africa. At the same time African race is considered as one of the strongest races in terms
of physical strength. But when it comes to mental health crisis it seems that nothing has been
done so far by the government because cases of mental disorder to increasing continuously.
Here, the essay will discuss the importance of mental health in South Africa along with suitable
arguments.
As per African Journal of Psychiatry, it has been explored that almost 23 South Africans
give up their life each day and therefore it becomes very important to explore reason behind
these actions. In recent study, it was found that more than 17 million South African facing
anxiety disorders which is almost 30 percentage of South African population along with some
chronic disorders. South Africa is continuously facing this medical issue which has forced them
to put economic gain in front over social justice who results in fatal outcomes in terms of mental
health issue (Lund, Petersen, Kleintjes & Bhana, 2012). In addition, it has been found that people
suffering from mental health are facing issues to even get out of bed due to various stress
outbreaks. Earlier government believed that physical health is more important than mental health
and in some case can overcome mental disorders (Meinck et al., 2017). Physical health was
always considered more as compared to mental health.
In South Africa context, mental health long history of medical negligence and no policy
agenda. Due to unstable political condition both leaders and international diplomats are
continuously overlooking significance of mental health which is in contact with poverty, conflict
and so on. In most cases, it has been explored that this trend consists of three factors which are
ignoring level of mental disorder, Discrimination against people suffering from mental illness
and believe that person suffering from mental disorder cannot be treated (Tomlinson et al.,
2016). In South Africa, mental illness is neglected due to lack of treatment which acts as aid to
the growth of mental illness cases in South Africa. Positive mental health offers lot of benefits in
terms of handling socioeconomic issues, economic benefits and maintaining human rights.

ACADEMIC LITERACY ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY 2
Mental and physical health is closely connected and has great deal with feeling and
natural reaction to the environment. In various cases it has been seen that the way body
responses physically can lead to emotional breakdown. Better physical strength offers better
chance to handle mental stress by eliminating those factors which may lead to mental illness or
mood swing. In this situation, South African culture pays more attention to physical strength as
compared to mental health and believes that mental health is subsidiary part of physical health
(Naidoo et al., 2019). In addition, from years people living in South Africa believe that physical
capability is helpful in improving mental health through nutritious and even various researches
also support that exercise of any kind has been proven helpful in improving mood swing and
mental condition of the person. A shot walk on the street can bring boost even in the tough time.
Physical health has the capability to handle mental condition to various extents by consuming
health diet, drinking plenty of water and keep vitamins level high. As per community mental
health study, in South Africa context it is true that even mental health has great impact on the
physical health of an individual. In fact, mental condition which is very common in South Africa
leads to weight gain or weight loss conditions. In addition, it also provokes anxiety in the form of
nervousness which is one of the main reasons for high blood pressure. Body is usually
considered as game of the mind and therefore physical health will naturally follow the mental
state of the body (Matsea, Ryke & Weyers, 2019). In this situation, it becomes very essential to
give equal important to mental health as given to physical health. At present South African
government is paying attention towards maintaining mental health of the individuals by forming
counselor which consists of expert set of doctors and nurses. They now examine both mental and
physical state of the individual in order to develop an effective treatment plan for them. Both
physical and mental health is very important to keep body positive in order to handle various
external negative forces which can arise from work, economic condition and society
(Mendenhall et al., 2014). Regular exercise and practice will help the person who is suffering
from depression and anxiety to sustain a health life in South Africa. Focusing on activities such
as eating, sleeping and exercise is considered beneficial for both physical and mental health.
These activities helps in lower down panic attacks which usually happens in depression
condition and impact both physical and mental health. South Africa country is not economically
stable and their per capital income is very low (Ventevogel, 2014). In this situation, government

ACADEMIC LITERACY ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY 3
is under continuous pressure to develop a moderate plan which will combine exercise and
nutrition plan in order to improve health of the people which are suffering from depression and
anxiety. In South African context, it can be said that seeing mental and physical health as
separate entity will be a big mistake. Mental and physical health is linked with each other and
has the ability to influence each other.
Some research believes that mental health is more important than physical health. It is
that mental health which shapes the physical health of an individual. It has been found that only
25% of people suffering from mental disorder have received treatment which is one of the major
issues in South Africa at present. In countries like South Africa, mental disorder is more
common than we think because many of the issues remain under reported (Triguero-Mas et al.,
2015). It has been seen that there is a different opinion related to mental health in terms of
disorders when it is connected with culture. Culture in South Africa promotes physical health
more important than mental health which is one of the major reasons for increase in percentage
of mental illness. It has been reported that in South Africa more than half of population is willing
to say that they are having someone living next to their door that is mentally ill and they are
working closely with them. This percentage simply indicates that it becomes very difficult that
people with mental illness will be considered under the radar (Allen, Balfour, Bell & Marmot,
2014).
Therefore, in this context mental health is as important as physical health In South Africa
in context of community, economic and ecological condition. Expert believe that minds shapes
body and is being impacted by numbers of factors such as society, genes, childhood experience
and other resource available in the market. In South Africa, income plays very significant role in
influencing health and is directly connected with mood-anxiety disorder. People having income
level below federal poverty line are facing serious psychological distress as compared to people
having average income. In addition, mental illness actually limits all the body functions by
disturbing their mental stability (Monnat & Chandler, 2015). A rapid increase in mental illness in
South Africa has been noted which is connected to some conditions such as mood, capability,
behaviour and so on. It also impact ability of individual to copy things which are important in
life. When it comes to comparison physical health can limit an individual to some extent but
mental illness can actually impact every functional part of the body and make person just like a
tree which can breathe but cannot move. Physical and mental health is very important in

ACADEMIC LITERACY ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY 4
developing countries like South Africa where large percentage of population is suffering from
mental disorder due to various factors. In this situation, South Africa government has to play
very important role in breaking myth that physical and mental health are two different entities
and have less impact on each other (Steptoe, Deaton & Stone, 2015).
Therefore, it can be concluded that mental health is as important as physical health.
Mental health and physical health have direct influence on each other and therefore proper care
should be provided to individual living in South Africa. Government must ensure that people
should be made aware that only sound mind has a sound body and therefore it is significant to
give same kind of importance to mental health as given to physical health. Some researcher are
presenting their argument that mental health is more important to physical health while some are
opposing this argument by giving equal weightage to both mental and physical health.

ACADEMIC LITERACY ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY 5
References
Allen, J., Balfour, R., Bell, R., & Marmot, M. (2014). Social determinants of mental
health. International review of psychiatry, 26(4), 392-407.
Lund, C., Petersen, I., Kleintjes, S., & Bhana, A. (2012). Mental health services in South Africa:
Taking stock. African Journal of Psychiatry, 15(6), 402-405.
Matsea, T., Ryke, E., & Weyers, M. (2019). Stakeholders’ views regarding their role as support
system for people with mental illness and their families in rural South Africa. Community
mental health journal, 55(4), 672-679.
Meinck, F., Cluver, L. D., Orkin, F. M., Kuo, C., Sharma, A. D., Hensels, I. S., & Sherr, L.
(2017). Pathways from family disadvantage via abusive parenting and caregiver mental
health to adolescent health risks in South Africa. Journal of Adolescent Health, 60(1), 57-
64.
Mendenhall, E., De Silva, M. J., Hanlon, C., Petersen, I., Shidhaye, R., Jordans, M., ... &
Tomlinson, M. (2014). Acceptability and feasibility of using non-specialist health
workers to deliver mental health care: stakeholder perceptions from the PRIME district
sites in Ethiopia, India, Nepal, South Africa, and Uganda. Social science &
medicine, 118, 33-42.
Monnat, S. M., & Chandler, R. F. (2015). Long-term physical health consequences of adverse
childhood experiences. The Sociological Quarterly, 56(4), 723-752.
Naidoo, P., Nyembezi, A., Thomas, E., Lachman, A., & Kagee, A. (2019). Perceived barriers
and facilitators for healthy behaviours among parents of adolescents receiving mental
health care in a public hospital in Cape Town, South Africa: A qualitative study. Journal
of Child & Adolescent Mental Health, 31(1), 39-50.
Steptoe, A., Deaton, A., & Stone, A. A. (2015). Subjective wellbeing, health, and ageing. The
Lancet, 385(9968), 640-648.

ACADEMIC LITERACY ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY 6
Tomlinson, M., Breuer, E., Onah, M., Skeen, S., Baron, E., Lund, C., & Schneider, M. (2016).
Integrating mental health into South Africa's health system: current status and way
forward. South African Health Review, 2016(1), 153-163.
Triguero-Mas, M., Dadvand, P., Cirach, M., Martínez, D., Medina, A., Mompart, A., ... &
Nieuwenhuijsen, M. J. (2015). Natural outdoor environments and mental and physical
health: relationships and mechanisms. Environment international, 77, 35-41.
Ventevogel, P. (2014). Integration of mental health into primary healthcare in low-income
countries: avoiding medicalization. International Review of Psychiatry, 26(6), 669-679.